Careers in Public Health

Req 8 — Explore a Public Health Career

Pick a profession in the public health sector that interests you. Find out the education, training, and experience required to work in this profession. Discuss what you learn with your counselor.

Public health is not one job. It is a team made up of many kinds of professionals who solve different parts of the same problem. Some work in labs. Some inspect restaurants or water systems. Some study disease patterns with data. Some lead emergency response. Some teach communities how to lower risk.

Public health careers you might explore

Here are a few strong choices:

Epidemiologist — studies patterns of disease and helps track outbreaks
Environmental health specialist — investigates water, waste, housing, lead, and sanitation risks
Public health nurse — connects medical care with prevention and community programs
Health educator — helps communities understand risks and make healthier choices
Food inspector or sanitarian — checks facilities for food-safety problems
Emergency preparedness coordinator — plans for disasters and recovery

What to research

No matter which profession you choose, answer the same core questions.

Education

What degree is typical? Some roles start with a bachelor’s degree in biology, public health, environmental science, nursing, or a related field. Others may require graduate study, certifications, or professional licensure.

Training

What job-specific training is needed? This might include field investigation methods, lab methods, inspection training, emergency management courses, or data analysis skills.

Experience

How do people get started? Internships, volunteer work, local health-department opportunities, research assistant roles, and college field experiences can all build a path into the field.

What to bring to your counselor discussion

Show that you researched the profession like a real possibility

What the job does each day
What education is required
What training or certifications matter
What experience helps someone get hired
Why the career interests you

Four-panel illustration showing an epidemiologist with a disease map, an environmental health inspector testing water, a public health nurse at a clinic, and an emergency planner at a response board

🎬 Video: Public Health Careers: Epidemiologist, Part 1 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYx-fO5hMA4

Public Health Careers: Epidemiologist, Part 1 — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook The best starting point for researching job duties, education, pay, and outlook for many public health careers. Link: Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook — https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ Bureau of Labor Statistics — Epidemiologists A detailed example of how to research one public health profession using official career data. Link: Bureau of Labor Statistics — Epidemiologists — https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm

You have completed the badge requirements. The Extended Learning page goes beyond the minimum and shows where public health can lead next.